Friday, October 19, 2018

Facebook has a fake news 'war room' – but is it really working? | The Guardian

Also see Inside Facebook's Plan to Safeguard the 2018 Election | Wired and Fighting Election Interference in Real Time | Facebook Newsroom
"The stakes are high as the US approaches critical midterm elections in November and the 2020 presidential race. WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messaging service, has also been linked to widespread false news stories that have led to violence and mob lynchings in India. The platform has further struggled to mitigate harms it is causing in Myanmar, where an explosion of social media hate speech has contributed to violence and genocide. American hate groups and far-right activists have also weaponized the site.

On Wednesday morning, a group of journalists crowded outside a windowless room, snapping iPhone photos of a closed door with a small sign stuck to it that said “WAR ROOM” in red letters. Inside, digital dashboards displayed real-time information about activity on the platform. CNN played in the background, and the wall displayed a large American flag and motivational posters saying “Focus on impact” and “Bring the world closer together”."
Facebook has a fake news 'war room' – but is it really working? | The Guardian

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